Palestinian refugees, moved by the plight of survivors of Hurricane Katrina will present US Consul-General, Jake Wallace, with a $10,000 donation to the American Red Cross. The donation will be given today at 12 noon at the President’s Office in Ramallah. Rafiq Husseini will offer the donation on behalf of the President and Palestinian refugees. The donation will be earmarked to those survivors most affected by the Hurricane – the displaced poor, elderly and disabled. Money was recently collected by Palestinian refugees in the refugee camps of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Read more about Palestinian Refugees Donate to Survivors of Hurricane Katrina
Following Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, the head of the main United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees said today that her main focus was on creating jobs, micro-financing and housing reconstruction so that the inhabitants themselves would benefit from the pullback. In that effort, Karen Koning AbuZayd, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said the Agency will work within the framework of James Wolfensohn, the envoy of the Middle East Quartet for coordinating Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the economic and social transition there. Read more about UN agency sees opportunity after Gaza withdrawal
Today, the Government of Japan announced a generous donation of US$ 5.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agenc y for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in support of its work in the Gaza Strip following Israel’s disengagement. This donation is part of a US$ 100 million package announced by the Japanese Government in May 2005. It will enable UNRWA to reconstruct 333 dilapidated or unsafe dwellings belonging to the most destitute refugee families living in the eight refugee camps across the Gaza Strip. Refugees constitute approximately 70 percent of the estimated 1.4 million population of the Gaza Strip. Read more about Japan contributes $5.5 million to rehabilitate refugee shelters
Although the colonization of the Gaza Strip has now come to an end (with the evacuation of the settlers), Israel’s military occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) continues. Israel strictly controls all access in and out of the Occupied Gaza Strip thereby controlling the movement of both goods and people. And, while the Israeli Army may soon evacuate the Gaza Strip, the Army will continue to strictly control all Palestinian movement. Issues remain unsolved such as Rafah crossing, the customs envelope, the Palestinian airport and seaport, the movement of goods within the occupied Palestinian territories and between the occupied territories and Israel. Read more about Gaza Disengagement: Future of the Gaza Strip
More than one-million children returned to school today after a summer break which saw many developments affecting children in both West Bank and Gaza Strip. This is a very important day for the children, for the parents, for the teaching staff and for the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE). All have done remarkable work keeping schools open and functioning during difficult times. Many students in the occupied Palestinian territories go to school under very challenging circumstances. To help address these issues UNICEF this year is supporting the Ministry of Education in a wide range of issues - from improving the quality of education to providing essential learning supplies, and supporting teacher training. Read more about More than 1 million Palestinian children return to school
The Chairman of the United Nations panel dealing with Palestinian rights today expressed hope that the positive momentum gained by Israel’s removal of settlements from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank would be followed by similar steps in the rest of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and “breathe new life into the political process.” The fresh impetus gained by the withdrawal would hopefully lead to a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the question of Palestine, said Paul Badje (Senegal), Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, echoing a statement issued yesterday by the Bureau of the Committee on Palestinian Rights at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Read more about Israel’s Gaza pullout must lead to West bank, East Jerusalem exit - UN committee
For 12-year-old Sahl, riding a bicycle to school is a dream come true. Sahl lives in Aba’a which is a small picturesque village near Jenin. The vast majority of the 400 or so residents are kids below the age of 18. Ordinarily, the drive to Aba’a from Jenin would take less than five minutes. However, villagers avoiding the Israeli checkpoints have to travel more than 35 km. Poverty is pervasive in a community where most families depend on farming. Aba’a is surrounded by two small Israeli settlements – Jannim and Kaddim – among the hundreds that dot the West Bank. During the past years, the villagers at Aba’a have not had any problems with the nearby settlements. Read more about Happy to be going back to school
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) expects to complete one of the most comprehensive studies on the declining living conditions of over four million refugees, by the end of the year, according to UN sources. The first phase of the survey has already been launched in the countries where the UN agency operates in such as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It will be critical in assessing how to improve heavily stretched services, UNRWA officials said. Read more about UNRWA survey on Palestinian refugees underway
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to keep expanding Israeli settlements on Palestinian land barely days after Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four smaller West Bank settlements. In a recent interview with the Jerusalem Post, Sharon stated his intention to expand the 400,000-strong Israeli population of the West Bank settlements, incorporate the larger blocs of Ariel and Ma’ale Adumim into the state of Israel, and to link the latter to Jerusalem. “There will be building in the settlement blocs,” Sharon declared. “Each government since 1967…has seen strategic importance in specific areas [in the Palestinian territories]. I will build.” He went on to say that Ma’ale Adumim will continue to grow and be connected to Israel and that the settlement of Ariel would be annexed as “part of Israel for ever”. Read more about Sharon confirms fears of further Israeli expansion in the West Bank
Israel has issued orders to seize Palestinian-owned land to link a main Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank to Jerusalem, officials say, a step that could isolate Palestinians from Jerusalem. An Israeli government spokesman on Wednesday said orders were issued to seize four Palestinian-owned tracts of land around Maale Adumim, the largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, last Thursday, Reuters reported. The planned Maale Adumim section of the barrier Israel is building in the West Bank has raised alarm in Washington because of Israel’s stated intention to build homes in Maale Adumim joining it to Jerusalem, 8km away. By looping in the enclave, Israel would effectively seal Palestinians off from east Jerusalem, which they want as their capital. Read more about Israel orders Palestinian land seized
